Walmart recalls Great Value Organic Triple Berry Blend over potential E. coli contamination: What consumers should know

Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur SA, based in San Carlos, Chile, has expanded its Walmart recall to include a lot of Great Value Frozen Organic Triple Berry Blend, 10 oz, over concerns about possible contamination with Escherichia coli O145:H28 (E. coli O145).

The recalled product was distributed to select Walmart stores across 16 US states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin. Consumers in these states have been advised to check their freezers for the affected product.

The recalled item is Great Value Organic Triple Berry Blend, a 10-ounce pack containing strawberries, blackberries and blueberries. The product carries UPC 7874211226, with lot code 6040 01-6 printed on the front of the package and a “Best If Used By” date of February 9, 2028.

The strain is a Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) that can cause symptoms including severe abdominal cramps, diarrhoea, potentially bloody diarrhoea and vomiting. Most otherwise healthy people recover within about a week, but the infection can sometimes lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious complication that carries greater risks for young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems.

Consumers who have the recalled Great Value Organic Triple Berry 10 OZ product bearing lot code 6040 01-6 have been advised not to eat it, according to the company. They should either dispose of the product or return it to Walmart for a full refund, it added. No illnesses linked to this specific product have been reported so far, with the recall being issued as a precaution based on traceability information from an earlier recall.

Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur SA said it is coordinating with relevant regulatory agencies and customers as part of the recall process.

US FDA probes multistate salmonella outbreak linked to broccoli sprouts; 22 cases identified

Meanwhile, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Wednesday said that it was probing a multistate outbreak of salmonella infections potentially associated with broccoli sprouts, as per Reuters. The investigation is the latest in a string of foodborne illness cases involving fresh produce in the country.

The development comes as US authorities continue to investigate a separate cyclosporiasis outbreak linked to lettuce, along with salmonella outbreaks associated with jalapenos and alfalfa sprouts. The series of incidents has raised concerns among consumers, some of whom have reportedly avoided fresh produce and eating at restaurants.

The FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said 22 salmonella cases have been identified across four states, with two people requiring hospitalisation. No deaths have been reported in connection with the outbreak.

According to health officials, traceback investigations identified Evergreen Fresh Sprouts in Moyie Springs, Idaho, as the common grower of broccoli sprouts consumed by patients before they became ill.

Evergreen Fresh Sprouts began recalling its broccoli sprouts on September 4 after Montana state officials detected salmonella in a sample that was collected and tested.

The FDA said 19 affected people had been interviewed, with all reporting that they had consumed sprouts. Of those, 17 specifically said they had eaten broccoli sprouts.

Health authorities have urged consumers, restaurants and retailers not to consume, serve or sell the recalled broccoli sprouts produced by Evergreen Fresh Sprouts.

Salmonella is a bacterial infection that can cause food poisoning, with common symptoms including diarrhoea, fever and abdominal cramps.